THE LOOSE ENDS

A week before I moved to North Carolina, my ex-girlfriend messaged me out of the blue. It had been almost two years since we broke up and we've only talked briefly a few times since we split. Those conversations never went over too well, as we would always end up taking potshots at each other. She and I never did get back to hanging out or being real good friends or anything like that. When she messaged me this time though, things seemed to be a little different. There was no animosity, no bitterness, or anything like that between us. We both just wanted to tie up the loose ends.

We decided to see each other once more before I moved away so we picked out a day and met at a coffee shop to talk for a while. It was really nice to see her again, but it was even nicer to lay everything to rest without any arguing or cruelty. I consider myself a pretty lucky guy to have been able to make everything right between us before I left for good. From what I've observed from others, not many people who have been in past relationships get that kind of opportunity like I did.

If you have been in relationship that didn't work out and you were never able to set things straight with the other person, that's alright. What really matters is when you look back at any past relationship, if you're able to retain a positive experience from it.

Maybe a past relationship made you a better person in the long run. Maybe it made you grow a little wiser and learned a few lessons about life and love. Or maybe you just remember the good simple memories when you think back on it. Whatever it is, if a past relationship has made some kind of positive influence on your life, then it holds some value despite the breakup, the heartache, and the time invested.

(500) Days of Summer

When it came to deciding what movie I should go with this topic of relationships and breakups, I didn't hesitate to pick (500) Days of Summer. It has quickly become one of my favorite movies since it was released back in 2009. It's as honest and grounded as modern romantic comedies go; like the film's trailer says, it is not a "love story" but rather a "story about love."

Like usual, I'm not going to give anything away as far as spoilers go but if you have ever been in a relationship and haven't seen it yet, you really should get around to it.

In Bruges

I also wanted to briefly touch on a movie I saw recently for the first time called In Bruges. In this film, two hit men, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, are ordered to lay low for a while in the city of Bruges (it's in Belgium) after finishing a job. While waiting for a call from their contact, the two men spend their days getting used to the local customs in the city. Meanwhile, one of them is forced to confront his past and tie up his very own loose ends.

The main characters are well-developed and memorable and the film itself is a perfect blend of dark comedy, drama and brutality. In Bruges was a limited release in 2008 and despite the critical acclaim it received, not too many people saw it. If you happened to miss this one like I did when it came out, go check it out.

(500) Days of Summer: 10/10
In Bruges: 9/10